Spinning toy balloon



1, 1956 LE ROY N. FRECK 2,759,296

SPINNING TOY'BALLOON Filed June 22,1954

lz xoy 9L gin/(4 22) M W moi/w United States Patent SPINNING TOY BALLOON Le Roy N. Freck, Hillsboro, Wis.

Application June 2'2, 1954, Serial No. 438,546

1 Claim. (Cl. 46-53) This invention relates in general to toys and more particularly to a rotatable aerial toy.

In the development of toys of the aerial type which can be held by a child to float aloft, it has been common to simulate the conventional form of airship having propellers and wings. With respect to the airship of the future, designers have illustrated a form of airship which has become well known to both adults and children as the flying saucer airship. This type of airship has a generally ellipsoidal shape with its horizontal axis greater than its vertical axis, and it is understood to be motivated by rotation about its vertical axis. Since this flying saucer" airship is such a departure from the shape of a conventional airship having a long cylindrical body, propellers and large wing surfaces, children are fascinated and amused by toys which simulate the flying saucer shape.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and useful improvement in a toy which closely resembles the well known flying saucer type of airship.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an aerial toy which is rotatable due to the action of the wind or forced air thereupon and simulates an airship of the flying saucer type.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a toy which is simple and inexpensive, yet serviceable in construction and can be easily handled by a child.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the drawings, in which:

Fig. l is an elevational view of the aerial toy;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the aerial toy;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a modified form of fin structure;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the swivel connection of the aerial toy;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view partly in section of a modified form of swivel connection;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of a modified form of nipple closure which prevents the escape of gas from the aerial toy.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate a toy of the rotating aerial type comprising a balloon-like body portion 11 in a gas filled inflated condition. The configuration of body portion 11 is generally of an ellipsoidal nature wherein horizontal axis 0-0 has a greater dimension than vertical axis XX. Moreover, all points of the periphery of a horiaontai plane through horizontal axis 0-0 are spaced equidistant from vertical axis XX.

Spaced along the outer surface of body portion 11 in the general area of a horizontal plane through horizontal axis O--O are a plurality of fins 12, shown in the preferred embodiment as being formed integral with body portion 11. Pins 12 are hollow so that the gas in body portion 11 will also inflate fins 12. In Figs. 1 and 2 fins 12 are shown as being positioned at an oblique angle with respect to the surface of body portion 11. This angle may be varied to change the rotative characteristics of the toy. The shape of fins 12 is shown as being generally rectangular with the side adjacent body portion 11 being curved to correspond with the curved surface of body portion 11. However, the shape of fins 12 is not critical to the operation of the toy, and the edges thereof may be semicircular, scalloped or any other configuration as long as fins 12 present a flat surface projecting from the surface of the body.

On the lower surface of balloon-like body 11 a nipple 14 is formed integral therewith. Nipple 14 extends outwardly from the surface of the body and is hollow or tubular shaped throughout with an opening at each end. The end of nipple 14 adjacent body portion 11 opens into the interior of the body, and the other end of the nipplc is formed with a resilient flange 15. The admission of gas into body portion 11 and hollow fins 12 and the expulsion therefrom are controlled by nipple 14. When the body portion has been inflated to the desired condition, the passageway through nipple 14 is closed, as shown in the preferred embodiment in Fig. 1, by tightly tying a knot 13 thereabout with a string 16 or other flexible material intermediate the ends of nipple 14.

In the preferred embodiment shown in Fig. 1 nipple 14 is shown as being positioned in line with vertical axis XX. However, nipple 14 can be positioned anywhere on the lower surface of body 11, and such off-center positioning may be advantageous where it is desired to produce a tilted flying effect of the toy.

Body portion 11, fins 12, and nipple 14 may be formed out of thin rubber material as is done in the usual manufacture of balloons, or thin plastic may be used or other non porous material. The nature of the material used is not critical to the invention as long as the material can be inflated and maintain an inflated condition when the passageway in the nipple is closed.

As mentioned hereinbefore, one end of string 16 is tightly tied about nipple 14. The other end of string 16 is tied to a freely rotatable ring member 17 of a swivel 18. As shown in the preferred embodiment in Figs. 1 and 4 swivel 18 comprises a head portion 19 having openings 21 in each end thereof. Corresponding ring members 17 and 22 comprise shank portions attached to the end ring portions, and openings 21 are of a size which allows the shank portions but not the ring portions to slide freely therethrough. Ring members 17 and 22 terminate inside head 19 in ball members 23, and with respect to ball members 23 the openings 21 of bead 19 are of a size that prevents ball members 23 from passing therethrough.

Handle means, shown in Fig. 1 as a string 24, are tied to ring member 22. The length of string 24 may be varied, and if desired, a string sufliciently long to fly the toy as a kite may be used.

In operation the toy is inflated by admitting gas through nipple 1d. The flange 15 of the nipple may be inserted into the mouth to blow up body portion 11 with air, but it is preferable to fill body 11 with a lighter-than-air gas, such as helium. When helium is used, the toy has a tendency to rise unaided which more closely simulates a flying airship. The child takes string 24 in hand and subjects the toy to the wind or any other forced air supply. If air has been used to inflate body 11, it is generally desirable to impart movement to the toy, such as when it is held in the hand of a running child, in order to keep the toy aloft. However, if helium or a similar gas is used, the toy will rise unaided and the rotating action can be enjoyed from a stationary position.

It should be pointed out that the rotating action of the toy can be achieved without the use of fins on the body portion 11. In a rotatable structure of this nature a rotating action can always be effected by the wind or forced air acting solely on the surface of body 11. However, faster rotation and consequent greater amusement is possible when the fins are a part of the toy.

The construction of fins 12 may be varied so that a dipping actionrcan be created as well as a rotating action in the;fiight of thetoy. It is obvious that the fins 12 may be twisted similar to apropeller blade so that the efiect of the wind or forced air supply will result in a rising or descending actionof the toy airship. This is especially desirable when air is used to fill body 11 and an external lifting force is necessary to maintain the toy aloft. The amount of twist imparted to fins 12 will determine the rate at which the toy will rise, and a variable wind or forced air supply will result in a dipping action of the airship.

The modified fin structure shown in Fig. 3 illustrates a non'integral type of a fin 30. Fin 30 comprises :1 rectangular shaped portion 31 and flap portions 32 and 33 whichare folded part way back, one on either side of rectangular portion 31. The amount of fold back is determinative of the angle at which the fins will project from body 11. Fin 30 may be formed of cardboard or other flexible material so that flaps 32 and 33 can be folded back and retained in place. When assembling these separate fins with body 11, a cementing compound is applied to flaps 32 and 33, and the flaps may be fastened to body 11 in the positions shown by the fins in Figs. 1 and 2.

.In Fig. 5 a modification of the swivel means is shown wherein the bead portion 40 has a single opening 41 in the lower portion of the bead. Freely rotatable ring member 42 is constructed in the same manner as ring members 17 and 22 shown in Fig. 4 so that only the shank portion of the ring member can slide freely through opening 41. The upper end of bead 40 terminates in an attached ring member 43 to which the string from nipple 14 can be tied.

A modified form of closure for the passageway of nipple 14 is shown in Fig. 6. Nipple 14 is formed of the same 4 resilient material as body 11 and can be stretched and deformed so as to be tied into a knot 50. Body 11 will thereupon be maintained in an inflated condition when knot 50 is tied after body 11 is filled with gas.

It should also be pointed out that the passageway in nipple 14 can be closed in other ways, such as by a separate clamp or clip, and it is not intended to limit the invention to the closure embodiments shown.

The particular embodiments of the invention illustrated and described herein are illustrative only. The invention includes such other modifications and equivalents as may readily occur to those skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended claim.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

An aerial toy comprising a gas filled body having a generally ellipsoidal shape, said body formed so that all points on the periphery of a horizontal plane through the horizontal axis are spaced equidistant from the vertical axis, a tubular element formed integral with and extending from a point on the surface of said body wherein an opening is formed for admission and expulsion of gas therethrough, a plurality of hollow fins associated with said body, one end of said fins integral with and opening into the interior of said body and the outer ends of said fins closed to allow said fins to be filled with gas from said body, said fins projecting from and being spaced along the periphery of said horizontal plane, means for preventing the flow of gas through said element to maintain said body and said fins in an inflated condition, swivel means having fixed and rotatable parts, means connecting one part of said swivel means to said element and handle means attached to the other part of said swivel means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

